Photographer: Will Hamilton-Coates
Award-winning South Australian musician Alexander Flood (front) and band will headline youth music festival Street Beats on Friday 11 April.
What made you say ‘yes’ to headlining Street Beats?
Street Beats is a really great initiative and event by Mount Barker District Council targeted towards younger musicians, and a great opportunity for us to be able to share our music with an audience that is a little younger than our typical demographic - hopefully it’s a chance for us to inspire them!
A survey of young people in Australia last year found two in three 16 – 25 year olds believe attending music events is important to them – why do you think live music plays such an important role in young people’s lives?
There’s so much that can be learned through books, study and formal music education but nothing quite compares to actually seeing, hearing and experiencing music live. I think live music can really inspire young people’s creativity and help expose them to new things, as well as being an opportunity to express themselves, develop their listening skills, and be brought together as part of a community.
Who was the first act you saw live and what impact did they have on you becoming a percussionist?
I honestly can’t remember my very first concert but when I was between 10 and 18 years old, I would attend lots of drum clinics and workshops by international drummers that were heroes of mine at the time. That had a huge impact on my hunger to study, practice and be the best I could possibly be. Seeing other drummers with professional careers travelling the world playing music really motivated me to work towards achieving that. Having musical heroes and artists you can draw influence from is really important especially for young musicians.
Four local acts will each play a 30-minute set before you take to the stage – how important are local live performance opportunities for young and emerging artists?
I think it’s so important for young musicians to have opportunities to perform and get experience performing and putting together a set. Doing performances within school is one thing, but I think it’s so valuable to have the chance to get out in the community and perform in different spaces for different audiences and events. Performing does take practice, and can take time to really be comfortable and confident with, and the more experience you can get, the better your music will translate to the audience!
What do you remember about your first live music performance?
I was really fortunate to have had many opportunities when I was much younger to perform and practice performing. I remember my first ever performance on drums was when I was about 9 or 10 performing a drum solo at school. Even though I was really nervous for it, I remember I had practiced the piece so much that it was basically memorised and muscle memory which really helped my confidence.
How does performing live enhance your craft as a musician compared to working in the studio?
On stage versus in the studio are two totally different environments that often call for a different approach and mindset. On stage you get this energy and adrenaline from the audience which can really heighten your playing but it can also sometimes get in the way and affect your performance. On stage you get one shot at something, and the performance or outcome isn’t permanent, whereas in the studio you’re documenting something and it’s easy to get highly critical and analytical with small details, and to re-do something over and over again in the hopes of executing it ‘better’ or differently.
How much does the energy of the crowd fuel your vitality when performing live?
The energy the crowd gives us makes a huge difference to how we feel and ultimately how we play on stage. It’s a two way street - we give out energy through the music and in return the audience gives us their energy. When we can really feel this, we thrive and put even more intensity and energy into what we’re doing which often results in a better show. We really do feel the energy of the room and the people, and every show is a little different in this way.
What advice would you give young aspiring local musicians?
Go and see as much live music as you can! Try to really discover what inspires you and what music or artists you admire, and take influence and inspiration from them. Try and get in amongst as much different and diverse music as you can and don’t be afraid to ask questions! We do what we do first and foremost because it makes us happy and keeps us inspired and stimulated so keep chasing that feeling!
What was the moment you decided ‘this is what I want to do for a living’?
A few years after I started learning drums and having formal lessons, my drum teacher at the time wrote an end of year report for me that read something along the lines of ‘I have no doubt that Alex will be able to pursue music professional and take it as far as he desires’ - and that was it! When I knew my teacher had this confidence in me, it made me feel like I could really achieve anything - and here I am doing exactly that.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing young emerging musicians right now?
I think it can be really tough to find balance in amongst everything that goes into pursuing music - from working on your craft and technical abilities, composing, booking gigs, chasing opportunities, staying on top of admin, self-promotion, marketing a product or show while still keeping the fire burning and staying driven and inspired. Learning to be able to take care of all of this, let alone finding balance, can be a really big learning curve for emerging artists and pretty overwhelming at times.
How would you describe South Australia’s live music scene and the opportunities available for local musicians to perform?
Being a smaller city means Adelaide has a smaller music scene which can sometimes limit opportunities and scale for what's possible and achievable. This means there are also less venues, promoters and gigs in general but, on the flip side, the smaller scene means we have a very connected and supportive music community and there’s so much crossover between scenes.
You graduated from university with a jazz degree in 2017, how much has your formal music education got to you where you are today?
While I certainly gained lots by honing my skills and knowledge through my time at Adelaide University studying jazz, I believe that my time in high school was an even more important and fruitful part of my music education. At school, I was able to really branch out and be exposed to so much new music and endless performance opportunities. It’s when I started gigging where I really discovered who I wanted to be and what directions I wanted to pursue in music.
What are your tips for overcoming a creative block?
If I’m feeling some sort of block, or the ideas just aren’t coming out organically, I’ll often go back to listening to some of my favourite albums or watching videos of some of my favourite live concert recordings, and this will often rejuvenate my flow or spark some motivation. I also really like to get out and go for walks to break things up and give my brain some time to process and breathe - I find this really beneficial.
How do you know when a piece of music is ‘complete’ so you don’t overcook it?
Sometimes it just feels ‘right’ and you know that all the right pieces of the puzzle are there. Other times it’s really hard, and subjective, to decide when something is definitively ‘done’. It’s easy to keep adding elements and I certainly used to be guilty of that but I try to remind myself that simpler is often better. If I have to really think hard about what a piece needs added, maybe it doesn’t need anything else but if the ideas are flowing and the sounds and arrangement are all blending and grooving, I run with it and see where it goes.
What does success in music look like to you?
Everyone will have a different measure of success based on what they do and their goals. For me, being able to sustainably play, tour, record and release my own original music with my band is success. Being able to keep growing my craft, my business, my collaborations and being able to inspire others is all success, and being able to find longevity and sustainability in a career in music.
Which artists are you listening to – and loving - right now?
On heavy rotation recently:
- Groove Collective - 90s New York funk and jazz
- Kuna Maze - always one of my top artists
- Close Counters – their new album Lovers Dance Academy is wild
- Ronald Snijders
- Son Boricua
- Doechii
- Also a bunch of Italo disco that I discovered while in Italy last year
Follow Alexander online at:
Website: alexanderfloodmusic.com.au
Facebook: Alexander Flood Music
Instagram: alexander_flood
Spotify: Alexander Flood
Apple Music: Alexander Flood
YouTube: Alexander Flood